The man behind the petition for Sunday alcohol sales in Greenville County says despite getting 10,000 signatures in 12 days, the petition fell short because thousands of those signatures were disqualified.

Dave McCraw, owner of Palmetto Restaurant and Ale House, started the petition on June 23 to get the issue on the November ballot.

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McGraw said he wanted to fight back after county council members squashed a Sunday alcohol referendum last month.

McCraw was required to get 7,500 signatures from Greenville County voters by 5 p.m. for the referendum to be on the November ballot.

He said as the votes were being counted, he was told by the voter’s registration office that the petition had reached the maximum amount of disqualified signatures and it was mathematically impossible to reach the number needed to force the issue to a referendum.

According to the board of elections, Greenville County has not voted on a Sunday alcohol referendum since 1999.

Similar measures over the years have failed to gain the support of county council members.

Every municipality in Greenville County allows Sunday alcohol sales.

McGraw said he plans on continuing the efforts and hopes to get more signatures 2016